WANDELLA rebounded from their disappointing Kookaburra Cup grand final performance in the best possible fashion at the weekend.
The Bombers defeated a resurgent RSL in the last over of the day, following a remarkable innings by Blues veteran Paul Munro.
Playing just his second A Grade match for the season, Munro wound back the clock, carrying his bat through the innings and scoring the first A Grade century this season with an unbeaten 114.
Munro’s 119-run fifth-wicket partnership with Michael Harrower (32 runs) was the catalyst for RSL posting a strong first innings score of 8/177 – their largest of the season so far.
Wandella captain Greg Dickson spoke with The Guardian following the Bombers’ victory and was full of praise for Munro’s solo effort with the bat – especially in the face of what he considered to be a strong performance from his own bowling attack.
“He (Munro) batted exceptionally well, I’d imagine he’ll stay at the top of the order for the rest of the season now – he’s been such a class player for such a long time and he definitely still has it based on the what he produced on the weekend,” Dickson said.
The skipper still felt his bowlers bowled well.
“Our bowlers probably bowled as well as they have all year – ‘Barnsey’ (Ryan Barnes) was back to his best on the weekend, while Ethan McKnight’s been our best bowler in recent times and he bowled really well in taking four wickets as well,” he said.
Barnes (1/41) held the Wandella attack together in the searing heat, bowling 14 overs at less than three runs per over – with his ability to restrict the score enabling Ethan McKnight (4/35) and Bohden McKnight (3/30) to strike at the other.
The Bombers lost youngster Patrick Oliver without scoring but fellow opener Laine Gibbons upped the scoring with a run-a-ball 40, before he was dismissed by Brenton Caldwell.
Wandella kept ticking the score over, with No.3 Luke Murray (61 not out) anchoring the innings and keeping them within sight of the required run rate.
It wasn’t until Murray was joined by Rohan Oliver (28 not out) in the 43rd over that the innings swung for the Bombers.
Oliver’s six off opening bowler Cameron Cook in the second-last over breathed life into the innings for the home side.
He then repeated the dose with a much-needed boundary off the bowling of Brenton Caldwell at the start of the last, to help get the Bombers home after needing 19 runs off the final 12 balls.
Dickson was full of praise for Murray, who came up with his best knock for the summer right when his team needed it most.
“We pushed him up to No.3 and he just produced for us – he’s capable of locking in and batting for a long period of time and he did just that,” Dickson said.
“We just needed someone to stabilise our innings and allow the other guys to bat around him and it was a key factor in us getting over the line.”
Wandella will now face a season defining match-up with fellow top four aspirant Ultima-TUF this weekend, with the winner to be in the box seat to qualify for the finals.
Dickson was confident in his team.
“We’ve said right from the start of the season that we wanted to finish in the top four and then once you get there, you never know what can happen on the day,” he said.
“That’s where we want to be, and be competitive, but I think the fact that we got through Saturday’s game and just solidified our spot in the mix is a big positive.
“We could have easily thrown the towel in after Thursday (their Kookaburra Cup grand final loss), and with Saturday being a hot day and having to back up two days later, but the young blokes all performed well and played their part in us getting the result.”
Ultima-TUF will enter the must-win encounter on the back of a very different result, after they were comfortably defeated by Nyah District.
The Demons were too good for the Roodogs, with Joel Walsh (3/16), Charlie Boulton (2/6) and Cooper Andrews (3/30) all claiming multiple wickets as the home side dismissed the visitors for just 86 in the 39th over.
Mitch Seton-Stewart (49) and Ben Shepherd (17) were the only batsmen to provide any resistance.
Both Boulton (34 not out) and Walsh (31 not out) polished off strong all-round games with the bat, finishing not out as Nyah District cruised to their 10th straight win.
Ladder leaders St Mary’s Tyntynder continued to flex their muscles, accounting for Woorinen with a 100-run victory.
Batting first, the Saints amassed 8/202 from their 50 overs thanks largely to Charlie King – who top-scored with 64 not out – along with scores in the forties from Jonty Chaproniere and Riley Daniels.
Dylan Smythe backed up his five-wicket haul last week against the Demons with another dominant performance with the ball, taking 6/59 from 20 overs to lead the way for Woorinen.
In reply, the Tigers never really threatened, especially after an early batting collapse as four wickets fell for just three runs.
Corey Daniels (3/28) was the chief destroyer, ripping out the home side’s top order.
SHDCA A GRADE
ROUND 10 MATCH RESULTS
RSL 8-177 (50 overs) Paul Munro 114*, Michael Harrower 32, Ethan McKnight 4-35, Bohden McKnight 3-30 lost to Wandella 7-178 (49.5 overs) Luke Murray 61*, Laine Gibbons 40, Rohan Oliver 28*, Stuart McGregor 4-40, Cameron Cook 2-45.
Ultima-TUF 10-86 (38.1 overs) Mitch Seton-Stewart 49, Joel Walsh 3-16, Charlie Boulton 2-6, Cooper Andrews 2-30 lost to Nyah District 1-91 (17.5 overs) Charlie Boulton 34*, Joel Walsh 31*, Josh Domaille 23.
St Mary’s Tyntynder 8-202 (50 overs) Charlie King 64*, Jonty Chaproniere 44, Riley Daniels 41, Dylan Smythe 6-59 d Woorinen 10-102 (32.1 overs) Glenn Violi 22, Dom Violi 3-6, Corey Daniels 3-28, Jack Shannahan 2-15.
